3 Developmental Benefits of Sleep
Sleep is crucial for brain development and body growth.
Throughout my career as a pediatric and neonatal occupational therapist and certified sleep consultant, I have repeatedly observed the connection between sleep and healthy development in the children I work with. I have seen first hand over the years how sleep, or lack thereof, is so closely related to reaching developmental milestones, sensory processing skills, learning and memory, emotional regulation/mood and social skills, and overall family harmony. Sleep is often such an overlooked therapeutic tool we can use to enhance ALL areas of development and is at the foundation of our most basic human needs.
Benefit 1: Growth
Many parents are hesitant to drop night feedings, understandably, due to the fear of hunger, tiny tummies, and those looming growth charts at your next well visit. However, sleep is actually when the body releases growth hormones and repairs bones and tissues- it is when babies and children experience their growth spurts. It’s possible those snug jammies you could have sworn fit well last night, actually did!
We know babies typically double their birth weight and experience their most rapid brain growth within the first 4 months of life. No wonder your baby spends so much time sleeping those first few months- it’s how their brains and bodies grow!
Please note, it is important to balance the needs for sleep and feeding for your newborn and should always be discussed with your healthcare provider.
Benefit 2: Memory & Problem Solving
In the NICU, we know that sleep (and skin to skin holding with parents, but that’s another topic for another day) is one of the most valuable therapeutic tools we have access to for our sick babies. In fact, it is policy to group all medical and therapeutic interventions around feeding times to ensure we are not waking them up and disrupting critical sleep they need for brain development. When working with a baby to learn a new feeding skill or to rewire an important motor pattern, I know that they have to get in a good old REM cycle afterwards for that new skill to encode in the memory center of their brain!
This is a cornerstone of sleep and development. We can do all-the-things as parents- practice new milestones, socialize and chat with our babies to foster language development, introduce the fanciest of sensory toys, and build in daily tummy time, but if our babies don’t sleep, the skills practiced while awake just can’t “stick” well.
On that note, have you ever noticed your baby may wake up from a nap with a new skill mastered like rolling over, crawling, pulling up to stand, or suddenly calling for “Mama” instead of just fussing?? Well, they probably did! That’s thanks to the brain for converting and storing memories and producing all those amazing growth hormones during sleep.
Benefit 3: Emotional Regulation, Mood & Sensory Processing
You know the old advice that says, “Never go to bed mad?” Well neuroscience disagrees. A good night’s rest actually takes the sharp edges off of painful experiences and memories. Sleep softens the emotional burden for us and helps us to think more clearly about a problem when we wake up. Sleep helps parents stabilize their mood, remain more emotionally regulated and calm, and think rationally- pretty important traits for new parents. The same is true for our little ones- well rested babies are happier and more flexible babies.
The newborn phase (and let’s be real, all the parenting stages) can be a beautiful and extremely challenging season without the added stress sleep deprivation brings. But I have good news for you! There are things you can do right from the very start to build a healthy sleep foundation for your little one!
About the author
Kaylee Woodard of Rested Roos is a licensed Pediatric Occupational Therapist who works in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) teaching parents how to care for their babies and reach their developmental milestones. As a certified sleep consultant, she also helps tired parents teach their babies and toddlers how to sleep really well in ways that are rooted in sleep science. Other than being a pediatric OT and a certified sleep expert, Kaylee is also a Certified Happiest Baby Educator and Neonatal Touch & Massage Certified.
Whether you need help teaching your baby to sleep through the night, a toddler to stay in their own bed all night until morning, or just need someone to pull your family out of mere survival mode and into a well-rested, thriving place, Kaylee can help!